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Inclusion Advocacy SENB

This Association was initially formed in 1984 and was incorporated in 1987 as the Greater Moncton Association for Community Living.

In 2016 it was re-branded as Inclusion Advocacy SENB.

The purpose of the Association is to ensure that appropriate supports are in place for people with an intellectual disability to live, learn, work and participate, as valued contributing members, in their own communities.

Some of the services offered are education, individual and family support, workshops, training, public awareness and fund raising.

The Association depends on community fundraisers.

With this in mind, Visions United, from the Visions Aid fund, has recently donated $300.00 to Inclusion Advocacy SENB.

We wish them all the best in their work with families in South-East New Brunswick.

Wear or bring a hat! May 20, we celebrated our Family of Faith on Mother's Day, also known as Christian Family Sunday.

Everyone was invited to wear (or bring) a hat - any hat that tells a story of you. Maybe it's a hat that was given to you... maybe it's a hat you wear running or fishing or gardening... maybe it's a nursing cap or grad cap, a ball cap or hockey helmet... maybe your hat has a logo that means something to you like your workplace, or favorite sports team or special place you visited... maybe you just like hats!

We will celebrate the diversity of our family of faith with our hats and the stories they represent.

What is the Teal Pumpkin Project®?

Visions is promoting the Teal Pumpkin Project this year.

Launched in 2014 by Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), the Teal Pumpkin Project® promotes safety, inclusion and respect of individuals managing food allergies. This movement offers an alternative for kids with food allergies, as well as other children for whom candy is not an option, and keeps Halloween a fun, positive experience for all!

We are proud to support the Teal Pumpkin Project®. Through this international initiative, families are encouraged to place a teal-coloured pumpkin in front of their home to show they have non-food treats available for children with food allergies and other kids for whom candy is not an option. Its aim is to create a safer and happier Halloween for all!

Year 2 of Coats for Care

In the fall of 2015 we launched a test project to address the issue of poverty. We had heard the stories of those living on the streets and unable to obtain winter shelter due to mental illness. Our generous congregation supported our cause, along with many others and it was determined we would place 5 coats (sleeping bags) in each of the seven Maritime cities. We followed up in the spring and winter of 2016.

It would appear that we had a mild winter and the coats were not all given out. We were also testing our distribution contacts and have made a few changes in 2017. The following list is an update by Provence .

New Brunswick - St John (Ramero House) gave out all the coats and requested more / Fredericton (Wilmet United Church ) gave out all the coats and requested more / Moncton ( Reconnect) gave out three and still have two, will contact Visions when more are needed.

Nova Scotia - Sydney ( United Protestant Church) gave out all the coats and requested many more, the need is tragic, / Halifax ( Brunswick Street Mission) gave out three and still have two, so they suggested MOSH which is street nursing and the nurses really want to use them so we sent 6 as a trail.

Prince Edward Island - Summerside ( Summerside United Church) they received three and still have one left/ Charlottetown (Salvation Army) they did not use them so we collected 4 of the 5 and have them in Moncton.

We recently ordered another 10 coats to start the second year (2017 winter). Again we will monitor this and report in the spring. We still have money in the Coats of Care account.

Our supplier is The Empowerment Plan in Detroit, they are great to work with and we continue to enjoy this partnership. You many be interested to know they have provided 23 jobs for homeless women and their families, all now are able to provide housing and food for their children.

Thank you for your continued support, this is an important project for those in need.

Its about the Journey....

This year I started walking 5K a day or 10,000 steps on my FITBIT. Part of my self discipline was to register in a marathon per month, the result was a joy filled experience. Meeting new people, walking on new paths and streets, receiving beautiful medals, wearing fun new T shirts and crossing the finish lines.

Listening to The stories of other runners was the highlight for me. Most everyone had a reason for starting to walk or run. Mostly it was to improve their health but for others they experienced a dramatic change in their lives - death, separation, empty nester, etc. I found myself listening to others and learning that as humans we have so much in common. At the end of the race we would hug and thank each other for the time together - just being!! I reflected on the scripture " be still and know your God" and realized walking with others is living the scripture.

Walking brings you in touch with your spirit! As you walk you begin to think deeply of your life- it's joys, its challenges, a time to count your blessings. The warm breeze on you face, the smell of the flowers, the sounds of the birds, the smiles and greetings from others, and so on: all a gift from God.

Looking back on the past six months I realized that the walking community compares to belonging to a congregation. When we gathered we greeted each other with kindness and care. The conversation was positive and encouraging , it really was life giving! God enables us to gather in many ways.